第50部分(第5/7 頁)

and　the　Revolution　is　still　to　seek。　But　perhaps　it　is　at　hand。　At　any　rate　Lady　Florence　strove　manfully　for　her　cause　in　those　early　days；　if　in　the　circumstances　“manfully”　is　the　right　word　to　use。

I　find　a　letter　dealing　with　“Beatrice”　from　Cordy　Jeaffreson；　from　which　I　quote　an　extract：

。　。　。　It　is　a　fine；　stirring；　effective　story；　but　with　all　its　power　and　dexterity　it　is　not　the　book　which　will　determine　your　eventual　place　in　the　annals　of　literature。　You　will　write　that　book　some　ten　years　hence；　when　I　shall　be　resting　under　the　violets；　and　when　you　are　enjoying　the　fullness　of　your　triumph；　you　will　perhaps　give　me　a　kindly　thought　and　say；　“The　old　man　was　right。”　In　a　line；　it　is　no　small　thing　to　have　thrown　off　“Beatrice；”　but　you　will　do　something　much　greater　when　“you’ve　e　to　forty　year。”　The　story　strengthens　my　confidence　in　you；　though　it　falls　short　of　all　I　hoped　for　you。　This　is　not　damning　with　faint　praise。

Ever　yours；

J。　C。　J。

Alas！　that　wondrous　work　of　fiction　which　Cordy　Jeaffreson　anticipated　never　was　and　never　will　be　written　by　me。　Be　it　good　or　be　it　bad；　the　best　that　I　can　do　in　the　lines　of　romance　and　novel…writing　is　to　be　found　among　the　first　dozen　or　so　of　the　books　that　I　wrote；　say　between　“King　Solomon’s　Mines”　and　“Montezuma’s　Daughter。”　Also　I　would　add　this。　A　man’s　mind　does　not　always　remain　the　same。　People　are　apt　to　say　of　any　individual　writer　that　he　has　gone　off；　whereas　the　truth　may　be　merely　that　he　has　changed；　and　that　his　abilities　are　showing　themselves　in　another　form。　Now；　as　it　happens　in　my　own　case；　in　the　year　1891　I　received　a　great　shock；　also　subsequently　for　a　long　period　my　health　was　bad。　Although　from　necessity　I　went　on　with　the　writing　of　stories；　and